Teguise was the former capital of Lanzarote, a position it held from the beginning of the 15th century until 1852 when Arrecife took over. Until then, and for many years, Teguise was the first and most important civil and urban settlement in the Canary Islands. Some of its streets retain their original lava cobblestones and many of the buildings in the historic centre are still intact, boasting architecture that’s testament to its rich and stately past. In fact, it has been declared an Architectural-Historical-Artistic Site. A stroll through its streets fills you with a real sense of history.<\/p>\n
Teguise experienced years of splendour when dynasties, like the Bethencourt family, descendants of the Norman conquerors, and the Herrera family, former lords of Lanzarote, left their mark. Some stately homes from that era are well preserved, such as Casa del Marqu\u00e9s de Herrera y Rojas, Casa Perdomo, and others that were formerly the property of civil and military authorities, such as Casa Santiago, Palacio Ico and Palacio Sp\u00ednola. The latter was originally intended to be the Casa de las Inquisidoras for the Inquisition. It has undergone several major renovations over the years and today it houses the Casa-Museo del Timple and is the venue for plenary sessions and other official municipal events.<\/p>\n
Teguise’s historical heritage also includes various religious buildings, most importantly, Nuestra Se\u00f1ora de Guadalupe church, whose bell tower stands above the town’s roofs and chimneys and can be seen from many kilometres away. It’s so distinctive, in fact, that it has become the town’s emblem. The San Francisco and Santo Domingo convents are also well worth a visit.<\/p>\n